United States Breastfeeding Committee: The important message attached is being shared by USBC on behalf of the Call to Action organizers to promote breastfeeding. Breastfeeding is unquestionably healthier for mothers and babies compared to feeding with infant formula. The scientific literature is clear. Numerous reviews of the medical literature have confirmed these benefits. But life in America often creates barriers to breastfeeding and makes it hard for women to breastfeed. It is time for our society to get serious about giving families the support they need to be successful with breastfeeding. For this reason, the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) would like to open up a national dialogue on how to make breastfeeding easier in this country. Please see the attached from USBC to learn how you can provide comments about breastfeeding in the United States. If you have any questions, please contact your district nutritionist.

Nutramigen LIPIL and Nutramigen LIPIL with Enflora LGG:

Discontinuation - Nutramigen LIPIL (Powder, 16 oz can)
It is expected that Nutramigen LIPIL (Powder, 16 oz can) will be replaced with Nutramigen LIPIL with Enflora LGG infant formula by the end of this year. Therefore, the State office will stop issuing checks for Nutramigen LIPIL (Powder, 16 oz can) on August 1, 2009.

New - NutramigenÒ LIPILÒ with EnfloraÔ LGGÒ (Powder, 12.6 oz. can)
Nutramigen LIPIL with Enflora LGG is a new product. It is a hypoallergenic, lactose-free formula for babies who develop cow’s milk protein sensitivity. Nutramigen LIPIL with Enflora LGG contains Lactobacillus GG which has been shown to promote immune system balance. Please use a SF_____ food package in HANDS when issuing checks. This formula will be added to MOWINS and the Food and Formula Reference Sheets.

No Change - Nutramigen LIPIL (Concentrate and Ready-To-Use)
The concentrate and ready-to-use forms of Nutramigen LIPIL will continue to be available at WIC vendors.

Availability of Dairy Ease Milk in Missouri: Dairy Ease Milk (Whole and Low Fat) may not be available at some WIC vendors. Currently, Dairy Ease Milk is available at Hy Vee, Dierbergs, Schnucks, and Shop-N-Save. Please call Land O' Lakes at 1-800-878-9762 (weekdays 8am to 5pm CT) to find stores that carry Dairy Ease Milk within participants locality before issuing checks for Dairy Ease Milk. If you have any questions regarding the changes above, please contact Takako Tagami at Takako.Tagami@health.mo.gov.

Name and Package Color Changes - Beech-Nut Infant Cereal:

#

Changes

OLD

NEW

1

Color of Cereal Box

Pink

Green

2

Name Change

Mixed Infant Cereal

Multi Grain Cereal

Participants can purchase any of these (old and new) available at WIC vendors. Please share the following changes with your staff and participants. If you have questions, please contact Takako Tagami at Takako.Tagami@health.mo.gov.

New Scanners for MOWINS: We were recently informed that the Canon scanner used with MOWINS has been discontinued. When we originally ordered the Canon scanners we believed we would be able to use them indefinitely and had no idea they would soon be discontinued. The new scanner is made by Hewlett-Packard (HP). The new scanner is about four inches longer than the Canon scanner and has a power cord. The Canon scanner did not have a power cord. The Canon scanner could be set up on its side as if it were a picture with a stand when in operation, causing it to take up less space. The HP scanner cannot be set up on its side, so it will take up more space. From now on when scanners are sent to you, it will be the HP scanner. If you have not yet rolled out on MOWINS, ITSD will install the new HP scanners when they install the rest of your MOWINS equipment. If you have already rolled out on MOWINS and request additional scanners, you will receive the HP scanners. You will then need to contact ITSD at 800-347-0887 or support@health.mo.gov to have the scanner’s software installed. The software for the HP scanners is not the same as the software for the Canon scanners.
If you have questions contact Mark Davis at Mark.Davis@health.mo.gov or 573-526-5323 or 800-392-8209.

6. New Scale Inspections: Inspections are required by the WIC Program because accurate anthropometric measurements (heights and weights) are integral to assessing every WIC participant’s health and nutrition status. Scale inspections should be scheduled with Weights & Measures Division: Device and Commodity Program at 573-751-5639. Each agency that needs a required inspection should call and schedule an appointment for their agency.

Steve Gill, Program Manager for Weights & Measures Division, has received a list of agencies with new scales purchased by the state agency last year. He will use the list to attempt to have Weights and Measures staff available to agencies. Three-hundred-fourteen (314) scales were purchased and placed in local agencies last year. Private contractors are unable to provide a certified state inspection, so the enormous task of inspecting scales is the responsibility of the Device and Commodity Program. Steve will make every effort to have each scale inspected before the one year warranty on the new scales expires on 10/28/09. Steve has asked that all scales for which your local agency requests an inspection be transported to one site for the scale inspector.
There is a map of Weights and Measures Small Scales Inspection territories and the associated Inspectors for each territory at: http://mda.mo.gov/weights/staff.php Small Scales – Territory Map in pdf format (pdf).

Thanks in advance for your patience with this process. If you have questions, please contact your District TA Staff.